Cabeza Prieta Natural History Association
Sonoran Desert Plants

Disclaimer and Explanation

This list is approximately one fourth of the total of 473 entries in the list of plants. You may limit the list to plants that have specific characteristics by using the Plant Identificaton Form. Use the Key Word Search Form to generate a list of plants who's database record contain your search phrase.

List plants by scientific name: [A-C] | [D-H] | [I-P] | [Q-Z] | [A-Z]

• Abronia villosa (Sand Verbena) - perennial forb *
• Abutilon incanum (Indian mallow, pelotazo) - medium shrub *
• Abutilon malacum (Yellow Indian-mallow) - perennial forb
• Abutilon palmeri (Indian Mallow, Flowering Maple) - low shrub *
• Acacia angustissima (White-ball acacia, fern acacia) - medium shrub *
• Acacia constricta (Whitethorn acacia (with spines)) - tall shrub *
• Acacia constricta (Whitethorn acacia (without spines)) - tall shrub *
• Acacia greggii (Cat Claw, Wait-a-minute Bush) - tall shrub *
• Acalypha californica (Acalypha pringlei) (Hierba del Cancer, copperleaf) - low shrub *
• Achyronychia cooperi (onyxflower) - annual forb *
• Acleisanthes longiflora (Angel's trumpets (ovate-triangular leaves)) - perennial forb
• Acleisanthes longiflora (Angel's trumpets (lanceolate leaves)) - perennial forb
• Acourtia wrightii (Brownfoot) - perennial forb
• Adenophyllum porophylloides (Adenophyllum) - low shrub *
• Agave deserti subsp. Simplex (Desert agave, Mezcal) - succulent *
• Agave schottii (Amolillo, Shin Dagger) - succulent *
• Allionia incarnata (Trailing four-o'clock) - annual forb *
• Allium macropetalum (Desert onion, cebollin) - perennial forb *
• Aloysia wrightii (Oreganillo) - low shrub *
• Amaranthus fimbriatus (Fringed pigweed, Bledo, Quelitillo) - annual forb
• Amaranthus palmeri (Careless weed) - annual forb,invasive
• Ambrosia ambrosioides (Canyon ragweed, giant bursage) - medium shrub *
• Ambrosia confertiflora (Slim-leaf ragweed, Estafiate) - perennial forb
• Ambrosia cordifolia (Heart-leaf bursage) - medium shrub *
• Ambrosia deltoidea (Triangle-leaf bursage) - low shrub *
• Ambrosia deltoidea (Triangle-leaf bursage) - low shrub *
• Ambrosia dumosa (White bursage) - low shrub *
• Ambrosia ilicifolia (Holly-leaved bursage) - low shrub *
• Amsinckia intermedia var. intermedia (Fiddleneck) - annual forb *
• Amsinckia tessellata (Checker fiddleneck) - annual forb
• Anemone tuberosa (Desert windflower) - perennial forb *
• Anisacanthus thurberi (Thurber's Desert Honeysuckle, Chuparosa) - medium shrub *
• Antirrhinum cyathiferum (Desert snapdragon) - annual forb
• Argemone gracilenta (Prickly poppy, cardo, crested pricklepoppy, bluestem pricklepoppy, chicalote) - perennial forb *
• Aristida adscensionis (Six-weeks three-awn, zacate tres barbas) - annual grass *
• Aristida californica var. californica (California three-awn, tres barbas de California) - perennial grass *
• Aristida parishii (Parish three-awn) - annual grass *
• Aristida purpurea var. nealleyi (A. glauca) (Purple three-awn, tres barbas) - annual grass *
• Aristida ternipes var. gentilis (A. hamulosa) (Poverty three-awn, zacate arana de tres barbas) - perennial grass *
• Aristida ternipes var. ternipes (Spidergrass, zacate arana) - perennial grass *
• Aristolochia watsonii (Pipevine, Indian-root, Dutchman's pipe) - perennial vine
• Asclepias albicans (White-stem milkweed, yamate) - medium shrub *
• Asclepias erosa (Giant sand-milkweed, Hierba del Cuervo) - perennial forb
• Asclepias linaria (pine-needle milkweed) - perennial forb *
• Asclepias subulata (Desert Milkweed) - medium shrub *
• Astragalus insularis var. harwoodii (Sand locoweed) - annual forb *
• Astragalus nuttallianus var. imperfectus (Small-flowered milkvetch) - annual forb *
• Astrolepis cochisensis ssp. Cochisensis (Scaly star fern) - fern
• Astrolepis sinuata (Wavy cloak fern) - fern *
• Atriplex canescens (Four-wing saltbush) - medium shrub *
• Atriplex elegans ssp fasciculata (Wheel-scale orach, chamiso cenizo) - annual forb
• Atriplex elegans ssp. elegans (Wheel-scale orach, chamiso cenizo) - annual forb
• Atriplex hymenelytra (Desert-holly) - subshrub
• Atriplex linearis (A. canescens ssp. Linearis) (Narrow-leaf saltbush) - medium shrub
• Atriplex pacifica (Pacific orach) - annual forb *
• Atriplex polycarpa (Desert saltbush, chamiso cenizo) - low shrub *
• Ayenia filiformis (Ayenia pusilla) (Ayenia) - subshrub
• Ayenia filiformis (Ayenia pusilla) (Ayenia) - subshrub
• Baccharis brachyphylla (Hairy baccharis) - low shrub
• Baccharis salicifolia (B. glutinosa) (Seep willow, batamote) - tall shrub *
• Baccharis sarothroides (Desert Broom) - medium shrub *
• Baileya multiradiata (Desert Marigold) - perennial forb *
• Baileya multiradiata (Desert Marigold) - perennial forb *
• Baileya pleniradiata (Woolly desert-marigold, Tecomblate) - perennial forb *
• Baileya pleniradiata (Woolly desert-marigold, Tecomblate) - perennial forb
• Bebbia juncea var. aspera (Sweetbush) - low shrub *
• Boerhavia diffusa (Red spiderling) - trailing perennial,introduced,invasive *
• Boerhavia erecta var. erecta (Spiderling) - annual forb
• Boerhavia erecta var. intermedia (Spiderling) - annual forb
• Boerhavia spicata (Spiderling) - annual forb
• Boerhavia wrightii (Spiderling) - annual forb
• Bothriochloa barbinodis (Andropogon barbinodis) (Cane bluestem, zacate popotillo) - perennial grass *
• Bouteloua aristidoides (Six-weeks needle grama, aceitilla, navajita) - annual grass *
• Bouteloua barbata (Six-weeks grama, navajita, zacate liebrero) - annual grass *
• Bouteloua trifida (Red grama, navajita china) - perennial grass *
• Bowlesia incana (Hairy bowlesia) - annual forb
• Brachiaria arizonica (Panicum arizonicum) (Piojillo de Arizona) - annual grass *
• Brandegea bigelovii (Desert starvine) - perennial viny forb *
• Brassica tournefortii (Sahara mustard, wild turnip, mostaza) - annual forb,introduced,extremely invasive *
• Brassica tournefortii (Sahara mustard, wild turnip, mostaza) - annual forb,introduced,extremely invasive *
• Brickellia atractyloides var. atractyloides (Leather-leaved brickellia) - low shrub
• Brickellia coulteri (Brickell-bush) - low shrub *
• Bromus carinatus (California brome) - grass *
• Bromus rubens (B. madritensis ssp. Rubens) (Foxtail brome, red brome, bromo rojo) - introduced annual grass *
• Bursera microphylla (Elephant tree) - small tree *
• Caesalpinia glauca (Hoffmanseggia glauca) (Hog potato, camote de raton) - perennial forb
• Calandrinia ciliata (Red Maids) - annual forb *
• Calliandra eriophylla (Fairy Duster) - low shrub *
• Calochortus kennedyi (Desert mariposa, Red mariposa-lily, Flame mariposa) - annual forb *
• Calycoseris wrightii (White tackstem) - annual forb *
• Camissonia arenaria (Sand evening primrose) - annual forb
• Camissonia boothii ssp. Condensata (Woody bottle-washer) - annual forb *
• Camissonia californica (California suncup, mustard evening primrose) - annual forb *
• Camissonia chamaenerioides (Willow-herb evening primrose) - annual forb
• Camissonia claviformis ssp. Claviformis (Brown-eyed evening primrose) - annual forb *
• Camissonia claviformis ssp. Peeblesii (Brown-eyed evening primrose) - annual forb
• Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii (Peirson's brown-eyed primrose) - annual forb *
• Camissonia claviformis ssp. Rubescens (Brown-eyed evening primrose) - annual forb *
• Carlowrightia arizonica (Lemilla) - low shrub
• Carnegia gigantea (Saguaro, Sahuara, Giant Cactus) - tall columnar cactus *
• Castela emoryi (Crucifixion thorn, corona de cristo) - small tree *
• Castilleja chromosa (Desert Paintbrush) - perennial forb *
• Castilleja exserta (Orthocarpus exserta) (Purple owl clover) - annual forb *
• Caulanthus lasiophyllus var. lasiophyllus (Cutleaf thelypodium) - annual forb *
• Celtis pallida (Desert hackberry) - tall shrub *
• Cenchrus incertus (Field sandbur, huipapori) - grass *
• Chaenactis carphoclinia (Pebble pincushion) - annual forb *
• Chaenactis fremontii (Fremont's pincushion, morning bride) - annual forb *
• Chaenactis stevioides (Desert pincushion) - annual forb *
• Chamaesaracha coronopus (False nightshade, small groundcherry, green-leaf five-eyes) - perennial forb *
• Cheilanthes parryi (Parry's lip fern) - fern
• Chenopodium murale (Net-leaf goosefoot, chuhal, cuhal) - annual forb
• Chilopsis linearis (Desert willow) - medium tree *
• Chloris virgata (feather fingergrass, cola de zorra, zacate lagunero) - annual grass *
• Chorizanthe brevicornu ssp. Brevicornu (Brittle spine-flower, short-horn spine-flower) - annual forb *
• Chorizanthe corrugata (Wrinkled spine-flower) - annual forb
• Chorizanthe rigida (Rigid spineflower, rigid spinyherb) - annual forb *
• Clematis drummondii (Texas virgin bower) - woody vine
• Colubrina californica (California snake bush, snakewood) - tall shrub
• Condalia globosa (Bitter condalia) - tall shrub,small tree *
• Condalia warnockii (Mexican crucillo) - medium shrub *
• Coursetia glandulosa (Baby Bonnets) - tall shrub *
• Crassula connata (Tillaea erecta) (Pigmy-weed) - annual forb
• Crossosoma bigelovii (Ragged rockflower) - straggly shrub *
• Croton sonorae (Sonora croton) - medium shrub *
• Croton wigginsii (Dune croton) -
• Cryptantha angustifolia (Panamint cat's eye, popcorn flower) - annual forb *
• Cryptantha barbigera (Bearded cryptantha) - annual forb
• Cryptantha ganderi (Dune cryptantha) - annual forb
• Cryptantha holoptera (Winged cryptantha) - annual forb
• Cryptantha maritima var. maritima (White-haired cryptantha) - annual forb
• Cryptantha maritima var.pilosa (White-haired cryptantha) - annual forb
• Cryptantha micrantha subsp. micrantha (Dwarf cryptantha) - annual forb
• Cryptantha pterocarya var. cycloptera (Wing-nut cryptantha) - annual forb *
• Cucurbita digitata (Coyote gourd, calabachilla, chichi coyota) - vine *
• Cuscuta umbellata (Flat-globe dodder) - parasitic forb
• Cynodon dactylon var. dactylon (Bermuda grass, zacate bermuda, zacate ingles) - introduced invasive stoloniferous perennial grass *
• Cyperus esculentus var. esculentus (Yellow nutgrass, coquillo, amarillo, cebollin) - sedge
• Cyperus squarrosus (Cyperus aristatus) (Dwarf sedge) - sedge

The scope of this page is to provide links to information and images of most or all of the plant species native to the Sonoran Desert of southwestern Arizona. Currently, not all the species in this region are on the list, but more will be added from time to time. Information and images for species already on the list are continually being added and updated. Because of this, be sure to check back occasionally.

The plant identification page and the plant images are meant to be only a first step in the identification process. In spite of our best efforts, it is not possible to insure that 100% accuracy in identifying unknown plants can be obtained by using search keys and photographs. When it is of critical importance to be absolutely sure of the identification of a plant, a specimen must be examined by a professional botanist and verified at a recognized herbarium.

* Specie page has photos.

Questions and comments are encouraged. If you have any of these or are in disagreement with any information or images being presented, please contact us at, content_mgr@cabezaprieta.org Feedback is necessary to enable us to correct incorrect information and to further fine-tune the identification process.

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